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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29654742">Sleeping beauty and prince charming</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrowupmysleeve/pseuds/arrowupmysleeve'>arrowupmysleeve</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All is well in the end, Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Joker is here and he is the joker, M/M, Magical Coma, Memories, Mentioned Batkids, This fic describes Jason's death, but he has maybe three lines, nothing graphic but he is 14 when it happens, so usuall warnings and tags for him</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:55:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29654742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrowupmysleeve/pseuds/arrowupmysleeve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Constantine takes a step back from the bed and turns to face Superman, Wonder Woman, Hal, and the assorted Bats gathered by Batman's sickbed. His hands are shaking, and Hal has only known Constantine for a short time, but he has never seen the usually unruffled man this tired.</p>
<p>"It's a bad one, alright," Constantine confirms and runs a hand down his face. "The spell is a powerful one, and breaking it is gonna be hard, but I can do it."</p>
<p>"What do you need?" Nightwing asks.</p>
<p>Nightwing, Red Robin, Black Bat, and, for some strange reason that no one had explained to anyone in the League, the crime lord known as Red Hood had barged into the infirmary where a comatose Bruce had been laid down. There had been an argument between Nightwing and Superman that Nightwing had won, and Red Hood had been allowed to stay, but no one was sure why he wanted to be here.</p>
<p>"The spell makes B relive his worst memories over and over again. I need someone to go down there and make him realize it is a trick," Constantine tells him.</p>
<p>"He won't get it on his own?" Red Robin asks, and Constantine shakes his head.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>255</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sleeping beauty and prince charming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I was reading new 52 a while ago and there is an issue of Red Hood and the outlaws where Superman shows up. And Superman says "I dont know who you are, but B trusts you" to Jason Todd. It was fucking hilarious. So that's where some of this fic comes from.</p>
<p>This fic is a part of Febuwhump2021, the prompt was coma.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Constantine takes a step back from the bed and turns to face Superman, Wonder Woman, Hal, and the assorted Bats gathered by Batman's sickbed. His hands are shaking, and Hal has only known Constantine for a short time, but he has never seen the usually unruffled man this tired.</p>
<p>"It's a bad one, alright," Constantine confirms and runs a hand down his face. "The spell is a powerful one, and breaking it is gonna be hard, but I can do it."</p>
<p>"What do you need?" Nightwing asks.</p>
<p>Nightwing, Red Robin, Black Bat, and, for some strange reason that no one had explained to anyone in the League, the crime lord known as Red Hood had barged into the infirmary where a comatose Bruce had been laid down. There had been an argument between Nightwing and Superman that Nightwing had won, and Red Hood had been allowed to stay, but no one was sure why he wanted to be here.</p>
<p>Red Robin was the one that had suggested they contacted Constantine, and after some lighthearted complaining, Nightwing had called him. The short one-side conversation had given Hal too much insight into Nightwing's personal life, and possible sex life, but mercifully Constantine had been on his best behaviors since he walked in.</p>
<p>Superman had given Constantine a short rundown of what had happened, and then he had gotten to work.</p>
<p>"The spell makes B relive his worst memories over and over again. I need someone to go down there and make him realize it is a trick," Constantine tells him.</p>
<p>"He won't get it on his own?" Red Robin asks, and Constantine shakes his head.</p>
<p>"The spell is designed to make him think that if he is fast enough or clever enough, he can change the outcome of the memories. It's the worst kind of torture." He looks between the Bats and Red Hood. "I can only send one person down, and we have to be quick about it."</p>
<p>"I'll go," Red Hood offers. </p>
<p>"No fucking way am I sending you down there," Constantine protests.</p>
<p>"Why the hell not?" Red Hood takes a step closer to Constantine to loom over him. Hal realizes with a jolt that Hood is taller than Constantine and that Hood is probably taller than him. Hood might even be bigger than Batman. </p>
<p>Not that it's hard at the moment. Hal glances at the bed where Batman is lying and suppresses a grimace. At the moment, B looks diminished and small, and it makes Hal feel uncomfortable.</p>
<p>"Because he is reliving his worst fucking memory, and what the fuck do you think that is?" Constantine shoots back. Hood hesitates for a second, but it's all Constantine needs. "The B-man and I might not be best buddies, but no way in Hell is he ever gonna forgive me for letting you go down there." Constantine runs a hand down his face, making his heir into an even bigger mess than it is. "Hell, I might never forgive myself for it." He mutters into the silence.</p>
<p>"He-" Hood cuts himself off and turns to look at Batman. "That's his worst memory? Of all the things that have happened, that's his worst memory," Hood lets out a broken laugh. "It's not even my own worst memory."</p>
<p>"Hood," Nightwing calls out and places a hand on the man's shoulder. They look at each other, but there are no words spoken. Then Hood scoffs and turns to lean against the nearest wall, but Hal notes it makes Hood able to keep an eye on not only the door but Batman as well.</p>
<p>Wonder Woman must see the same thing because she meets Hal's eyes, and there is a calculating gleam in them.</p>
<p>"I assume you don't want to let any of us go either?" Red Robin asks.</p>
<p>Constantine grimaces and looks down at Batman. "I would like to not send any of his kids, but if there is no other way…"</p>
<p>"I'll go," Superman says, but Constantine is already shaking his head.</p>
<p>"You're an alien, and you already react badly to magic. I don't want to risk that you have a bad reaction while down there," Constantine nods at Wonder Woman. "That goes for you too, Princess. You might be more used to magic, but I haven't worked with an Amazonian before."</p>
<p>Hal feels his heart rate pick up.</p>
<p>There are not that many baselines humans in the League, and he is currently the only one in the infirmary, not in any way related to Batman. The choice is clear.</p>
<p>He looks up to meet Constantine's eyes and nods.</p>
<p>"Alright then, we have a winner," Constantine claps his hands and walks over to the nearest bed. He pushes it up close to the other one and pats the pillow. "Come on, Prince Charming. You have a sleeping beauty to wake up."</p>
<p>The comment makes Black Bat giggle, and Hal has to stare for a second. He sometimes forgets that under all that armor is a teenage girl that could, if she chooses to, absolutely decimate him in hand-to-hand combat with only one look. Cass tilts her head at him and signs a quick message.</p>
<p>"Black Bat says th-" Red Robin begins but stops when Hal quickly signs a message back. "You know sign language?" He asks instead.</p>
<p>"I know the basics," Hal answers and lays down on the unoccupied bed. "Now, let's get this show on the road." </p>
<p>He doesn't want to think too hard about Cassandra thanking him for saving her father. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Hal blinks and looks around. There is an abandoned building on his left and nothing but empty space all around. It doesn't look like Gotham, and there is no sign of Batman either. Constantine had warned him that Bruce's memories might not look right or feel real, but Hal had at least expected Bruce to actually be here. </p>
<p>There's the sound of a motorcycle, and Hal turns to face the headlights coming towards him. It's Batman, barreling down the road at reckless speed, and he doesn't even stop to get off the bike. He just leaps off it and runs towards the building. </p>
<p>Hal activates the ring and floats after him. "Hey, B!" He shouts, but Batman doesn't notice. Or he just doesn't care. Hal can't tell. </p>
<p>"Hey, Batman!" Hal calls again, but the words get swallowed up as the building explodes. The force of it throws Batman back, and Hal brings a hand up to shield his eyes.</p>
<p>"NO!" Batman screams, and Hal whips around to stare at him. </p>
<p>"ROBIN!" Batman shouts and claws himself back to his feet. He runs for the still-burning building, and when he reaches it, he starts frantically digging. </p>
<p>Standing frozen, Hal stares at where the building used to be. </p>
<p><em>Oh fuck</em>.</p>
<p>It's an open secret in the League that Batman lost one of his kids on the job. That the Joker murdered him, and that Batman broke afterward. Hal hadn't been on-planet when it happened, but he had seen the aftermath. </p>
<p>Batman had quit the League and retreated back into the shadows of Gotham. It had been almost a year of no contact and unanswered call before Batman had shown up again at a League meeting. It had another year until Hal had even seen the man as much as smile, and then it had been a joke made by his new partner. </p>
<p>Oliver had later told him that the only reason he thought Bruce was still alive was because Tim had shown up and demanded to be Robin, and Hal didn't doubt that.</p>
<p>Hal had only met Jason a handful of times, and where Dick was all smiles and sunshine, Jason had been dark humor and sharp, stinging wit. He hadn't told anyone, but Jason had always been Hal's favorite, and the two of them had gotten on like a house on fire. To Batman's continued bafflement and amusement. At the time, Hal had thought that he and Bruce might- but that hadn't happened, and by the time Hal got back from space, Jason had been dead for almost six months.</p>
<p>Hal looks back at Bruce, who is still clawing his way through the wreckage looking for his son, and he feels sick.</p>
<p>"Jason?!" Bruce calls, and then he pauses as if to listen for an answer. When there is none, Bruce hunkers down to continue the search. Hal tries to remember that this is a memory, it's not real, but he can't quite manage it.</p>
<p>"Jason?!" Bruce shouts again, and Hal has to close his eyes. He gets why Constantine didn't want to send one of Bruce's kids down into this, but he still curses the man in his head. He could have given Hal a warning.</p>
<p>"Jason!" Bruce screams, and Hal opens his eyes to see Bruce pulling a limp body out of the wreckage. Clearing the debris, Bruce makes room for the body. Jason looks smaller than Hal remembers, but then again, it has been years since he last saw him.</p>
<p>"Bruce," Hal says as he walks over to the man curling over the broken body of his son. </p>
<p>Bruce, who has taken off the cowl and is pressing his forehead to the body's, is rocking back and forth, muttering to himself. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no."</p>
<p>There is dirt and soot on his face, and Bruce looks broken as he clutches at the dead body of his son. Hal squats down and reaches out to touch Bruce's shoulder.</p>
<p>"I can't move him," Bruce says, voice breaking. Hal frowns, but Bruce just continues. "Alfred, I can't move Jason. He's injured."</p>
<p>Sucking in a sharp breath, Hal pulls his hand back and hangs his head. Of course Alfred is on comms.</p>
<p>"He is not dead," Bruce pleads. There is a long silence, so whatever Alfred is saying must be getting through to him. "I don't care about the police," Bruce snarls, but he lifts his head to look out into the distance. A police car's flashing lights show their imminent arrival, and Bruce seems to realize that he can't stay here.</p>
<p>"I can't move him," Bruce says again, but he curls a hand under the body's head and pulls it into his lap. "Alfred," Bruce whispers. "I can't move him."</p>
<p>"Bruce," Hal tries again, and he reaches out to touch his shoulder. "This is not real. It's a memory."</p>
<p>Bruce twitches, but there are no other reactions, so Hal shakes his shoulder. </p>
<p>"Bruce. You have to wake up. Your kids are waiting for you," Hal says, and he finally gets a response. Bruce turns to look at him, but he can't entirely focus on Hal's face.</p>
<p>"Lantern?" Bruce asks and frowns. "You're not supposed to be here."</p>
<p>"Neither are you," Hal tells him.</p>
<p>"No, you're off-planet," Bruce continues, and Hal nods.</p>
<p>"I was, but this," He gestures at the remains of the building. "This was years ago, and I- we need you to wake up."</p>
<p>"Why are you here?" Bruce asks again. If Hal didn't know any better, he would say that Bruce was drunk or concussed, but it must be the spell working on him.</p>
<p>"I'm here because none of your many kids could be here, and they want their dad back," Hal tells him, and Bruce frowns.</p>
<p>"Kids?" He asks. "I only have two-" He cuts off and tightens his grip on the body. </p>
<p>"Don't tell me you have forgotten the rest of you hellspawns," Hal jokes. </p>
<p>If he just doesn't look down at the body, he can pretend it isn't there. He can pretend he didn't just watch Jason get killed right in front of him.</p>
<p>Bruce blinks at him. "You shouldn't be here," He says again, and Hal nods.</p>
<p>"No, but someone had to come and get you, and Constantine didn't want to send Nightwing or Red Hood," Hal tells him.</p>
<p>"Red Hood," Bruce repeats. Then he looks down at the body and whispers. "Jason."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, Bruce," Hal whispers. "I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>And then the landscape changes. The body in Bruce's arms dissolves into smoke, leaving him clutching at air.</p>
<p>"Batman, NO!" Someone shouts, and Hal looks up to see Superman pull Batman away from a howling Joker. Every bone in the man's body looks broken. He can't even keep his head up, but the Joker is still laughing hysterically. </p>
<p>"Robin wouldn't have wanted this," Superman says, but Batman doesn't seem to be listening as he is thrashing against Superman's hold.</p>
<p>Hal blinks and looks back down at Bruce, who is still sitting next to him, and then back at the scene playing out in front of him. </p>
<p><em>Memories</em>. That was what Constantine had said. The spell makes Bruce relive his worst memories over and over and over again.</p>
<p>This must be part two of the saga.</p>
<p>"Robin can want anything anymore," The Joker gets out between his laughter. "He's dead! And I killed him!" The Joker grins at Batman. "Come on, Batsy, kill me. Prove me right! That we are all just a bad day away from being like me."</p>
<p>Hal swallows. He has met his fair share of madmen and insane people, but at this moment, they all pale in comparison to the madness in the Joker's face.</p>
<p>"I should have killed him," Bruce whispers. "No matter what Superman said, I should have killed the Joker."</p>
<p>"That's not who you are," Hal says, and Bruce looks up at him.</p>
<p>"I failed Jason," Bruce tells him, and Hal shakes his head.</p>
<p>"You didn't, and I think Superman is right," Hal says. Bruce stares at him for a long time, then he closes his eyes, and the scene changes again.</p>
<p>They are sitting on the top of a roof. Batman is facing down the Red Hood, and Hal spends a couple of seconds taking in the surroundings. </p>
<p>"I had been chasing down the Red Hood for a while before he let me catch up here," Bruce tells Hal, but his eyes are focused on the standoff. Hal frowns at the wording and looks back at the scene.</p>
<p>There is a scuffle that ends with the Red Hood pulling off Batman's cowl and rolling away.</p>
<p>"Look at you," Red Hood crows, but there is no other reaction to who Batman is. He throws the cowl back in Batman's face and reaches up to his own helmet. "I guess we should keep it even."</p>
<p>Red Hood pulls off his helmet, and underneath it, he is smirking. Hood is younger than Hal thought he would be, and he looks kinda familiar, but Hal doesn't connect the dots until Batman calls him Jason, and then Hal is just glad he is already sitting down. Hal misses the next couple of lines spoken. He is so focused on Jason's face.</p>
<p>"Jason is alive," he mutters, and Bruce nods. "Why haven't you told the League?" Hal demands. </p>
<p>The League still mourns the day Jason was killed, and to realize he has been alive all this time, walking among them hurts in a way Hal didn't know it could.</p>
<p>"Jason dont want anyone to know," Bruce tells him as they watch the scene play out. "He is a killer and an outlaw. Jason dont want the League to know what he has done."</p>
<p>"I don't really care what he has done," Hal says. "He is still Jason."</p>
<p>Hal looks back to see Bruce already looking up at him.</p>
<p>"I know," Bruce says. He looks back at the fight. "But this is what I wanted to show you."</p>
<p>The scene shifts, and then they are standing in a broken-down apartment. Batman has his cowl back on, but Jason is standing over the Joker with a gun to his head, and Hal wonders what Bruce wants to show him. </p>
<p>"I never blamed you for what happened, B," Jason says. "But why, in the name of all that's holy, is this monster still alive. After everything he has done, after everyone he has killed." There is a long pause. "After what he did to me."</p>
<p>"I don't kill," Batman says. </p>
<p>At his side, Bruce lets out a half-broken laugh, and Hal glances down at him. There is regret painted clear across his face, and Hal has to swallow again. </p>
<p>"I'm not talking about the Scarecrow or the Penguin or any other two-bit villain. I'm talking about the Joker. About putting this man in the ground where he belongs." Jason states. The Joker looks back and between the two of them, and Hal can see the gears working in his head. </p>
<p>"Wait, wait. You're Robin, the Boy Blunder, the one I killed. Back for round two, boy," The Joker asks. He sounds gleeful, and Hal takes a stuttering breath.</p>
<p>"Shut up, clown. Or do you want me to find the crowbar again?" Jason asks, and Hal blinks. </p>
<p>The Joker does look beat up and bruised already, and some dark part of Hal wants to cheer at the thought of the Joker getting a dose of his own medicine, but he ignores that part. The scene continues to play out, and it ends with Batman throwing a Batarang to save the Joker's life and the Joker going for Jason's explosives and taking down the entire building.</p>
<p>"How is Jason still alive? I mean, how did he come back to life?" Hal asks as they watch Batman searching through the debris of the building.</p>
<p>"We don't know," Bruce answers. Hal looks down at him, but Bruce is watching the memory version of himself. "According to Jason, he just woke up inside his own coffin one day and dug himself out."</p>
<p>Hal considers this. It's not a fun thought, but it does bring him back to Bruce's statement. </p>
<p>"I don't know if killing or not killing the Joker is the right choice," he says. "But I think that we are supposed to keep to a higher standard. That we should use just enough force to stop people from harming others, and no more. We should leave the judgment and punishment to the system."</p>
<p>"And if, as Jason keeps telling me, the system doesn't work?" Bruce asks. He sounds tired, and Hal feels for him. He does, but seeing Batman like this scares him. Batman has always been the one with the plan, the one to tell them when they are going too far, and he has never been afraid to call them out. </p>
<p>"We try to change it, but-" Hal pauses and squeezes Bruce's shoulder. "But there is a reason you have plans on how to take down every member of the League if we go too far."</p>
<p>"You're saying we aren't gods and that we can't go around changing things how we want?" Bruce asks.</p>
<p>"Well, you can make a pretty decent argument for Superman being a god, and I'm pretty sure Wonder Woman has met several gods and is a god herself." Hal raises an eyebrow at Bruce when he huffs and smiles a little. "But no. We can't just do whatever we want. We need accountability."</p>
<p>"We're vigilantes," Bruce counters. "We operate outside the law."</p>
<p>"Talk for yourself. I'm a space cop, and earth is a part of my sector." Hal says with a grin. Bruce blinks and holds his eyes for a long second. "What?" Hal asks with a frown.</p>
<p>There is another pause before Bruce shakes his head. Their surroundings change, and the last thing Hal sees is the blue of Bruce's eyes.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Hal wakes up and blinks at Constantine.</p>
<p>"Did it work?" Hal asks, but the answer comes in the form of Batman sitting bolt upright in the bed next to him. He reaches out for something with a half-mumbled <em>Jason</em>. There is half a second of pause until Red Hood removes his helmet, steps forward, and takes Batman's outstretched hand.</p>
<p>"I'm here," he says. His reward is a bruising hug by Bruce. Hal can't hear what Batman is saying, but he can see Red Hood, Jason, nod against his shoulder.</p>
<p>"Wait time out," Superman says, and he makes a T with his hands. "Jason Todd?"</p>
<p>Wonder Woman looks between all of the Bats and puts a hand on Superman's shoulder to guide him out.</p>
<p> "Let's leave them alone for a while," Diana offers. She catches Hal's eyes and smiles at him.</p>
<p>"This is more family drama than I can handle," Constantine mutters. He pauses at Nightwing's side and looks the vigilante up and down with a grin Hal is sure is meant to be charming. "Call me anytime, Dick. You have my number." And then he walks out.</p>
<p>"You are not calling him," Bruce says to Dick, who shrugs.</p>
<p>"What I do is up to me," Dick answers.</p>
<p>"He is pretty good," Hal comments. There is a long silence, and when he looks up, all the Bats are staring at him in disbelief. "What?"</p>
<p>"Did you sleep with Constantine?" Tim asks, but then he brings his hands up as a shield. "No, no, do not tell me. I do not need to know."</p>
<p>"I meant at what he does," Hal protests, and all of them make a face at him. "For crying out loud. Never mind, forget it." He slides off the bed and stalks around to the other side. "Are you done with him?" Hal asks Bruce and gestures at Jason.</p>
<p>"Yes," Bruce says with a smile, and Hal nods.</p>
<p>"Good. Now," Hal crosses his arms and looks down at Jason. "Can I hug you too? Or are you gonna stab me?"</p>
<p>"I'm not gonna stab you," Jason splutters, and that's good enough for Hal, who pulls him up and into a hug.</p>
<p>"Fucking hell, kid, I missed you," Hal mutters as Jason hugs back. "I'm so fucking glad you're alive."</p>
<p>There is a long pause until Jason answers. "Yeah. Me too."</p>
<p>Hal holds on for longer than is probably polite, but he doesn't give a shit, and when he finally steps back, Jason is smiling, so Hal considers it a win.</p>
<p>"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Dick asks, and when Hal turns to look, he finds Bruce halfway up and out of bed. </p>
<p>"I'm going home," Bruce says as if it's obvious. </p>
<p>"You were just in a coma," Tim protests.</p>
<p>"That's an exaggeration," Bruce tells them and stands up. "I was just asleep."</p>
<p>"A sleep you couldn't wake up from!" Tim throws his hands up. Before Bruce can slide off the bed, Cassandra is there, blocking his way. Both of them still have their cowls on, but Hal swears they are having a staring contest.</p>
<p>A staring contest Cassandra wins. </p>
<p>"How about this. We all go back to the manor and have a movie night?" he offers. "I'll stay on the couch the whole time."</p>
<p>Cassandra looks back at her brothers. Dick is grinning, and Tim shrugs in agreement. She looks at Jason, who shifts on his feet and crosses his arms. There is another staring contest until Jason huffs. "Fine, but no mystery movies. Red over there keeps spoiling them."</p>
<p>"Then there will be no zombie movies," Tim says. </p>
<p>Jason throws his hands in the air. "And why the hell not? You scared Red?"</p>
<p>"No," Tim grimaces. "But I get enough of your puns on patrol. I don't need them every other second while we watch the movie."</p>
<p>"Boys, boys," Dick steps between them and slings an arm over both of their shoulders. "I say we introduce Damian to the wonder that is the princess movies."</p>
<p>"Barbie in the Nutcracker," Jason says immediately as Dick steers them towards the door.</p>
<p>"How about we save that one for Christmas," Dick says. His grin seems a little frozen, and Hal wonders what he has seen have that expression on his face. "I was thinking more of-"</p>
<p>Whatever Dick was going to say gets cut off as Cassandra jumps up on his back, and all four of them stumble out of the door. Someone's foot gets caught in the doorway, and all of them go flying. They land on the hallway floor with a yell and a crash.</p>
<p>"We're fine," Dick calls out as Jason swears up a storm. Cassandra is, somehow, still sitting upright on Dick's back, and she pokes Jason in the back of his head every time he swears.</p>
<p>Bruce lets out a long sigh, and Hal laughs. He holds out a hand which Bruce takes, and Hal pulls him up to his feet. B stumbles a little, and Hal laughs again. "Steady there, big guy. If you fall over, I'm not helping you up again."</p>
<p>"Liar," Bruce murmurs. Hal swallows as Bruce grins at him. "Want to join me?"</p>
<p>Hal blinks and licks his lips. "For what?"</p>
<p>Bruce tilts his head in the direction of the kids. "Movie night."</p>
<p>Chuckling, Hal looks back out into the hall where Jason is in what looks like an intense thumb war with Dick.</p>
<p>"Alright," Hal agrees and lets go of Bruce's hand. </p>
<p>"Let's go and stop flirting!" Jason calls out impatiently.</p>
<p> Bruce sighs again and looks over at his kids. "First one to get Hood down on his ass, get my vote for which movie to watch."</p>
<p>"No," Jason points a threatening finger at his siblings. "No, do not fall for his bribery. We must stand together against him."</p>
<p>"Sorry, little wing," Dick says with a smile that is a little too toothy to be reassuring. "His offer is too tempting."</p>
<p>There is a second of silence before someone, presumably Jason, drops a smoke bomb, and they are off to the races. Hal can hear them cursing and hollering as they make their way down the hall.</p>
<p>"I'm not sure your parenting skills are supernanny approved," Hal says into the silence. </p>
<p>"Probably not, but at least they are not at the manor," Bruce agrees. "The problem with raising detectives is that they all know what you are doing and are not afraid to call you out on it."</p>
<p>"So you think a good first date is a movie night with your kids?"</p>
<p>Bruce shrugs. "If you can survive that, you can survive every other emergency."</p>
<p>The words a barely out of Bruce's mouth before the fire alarms start blaring. The smoke has reached the ceiling.</p>
<p>Hal bursts out laughing as the sprinklers activate.</p>
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